I was reading an article on bogus tickets by David Horowitz and his daughter Amanda Horowitz of Fight Back! in TheCostco Connection. Based off the article, I wanted to share some of the keypoints to help make sure you never fall for one of these scams.
Sporting and music event ticket scams are big business. These include, but are not limited to, selling fraudulent tickets, selling a ticket multiple times, selling duplicated tickets and selling nonexistent tickets.
Not only is buying a fake ticket to a sporting or music event disappointing, it can be expensive. Besides the time of going to an event they won’t let you into, and the cost of the fake ticket, you may have to pay even more to purchase a genuine ticket if any are even available. It’s a lose-lose for you, and a win for the scammer who is off with your money. Here are some key things from Horowitz and Horowitz to help you avoid being the victim of a ticket scam.
Do research
If you decide to buy from a third party you are unfamiliar with, check out their reputation online by doing a search with the seller’s name and the words “fake tickets” or “scam.” The safest way is to buy directly from the venue, a recognized ticket broker such as Ticketmaster, or a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers. The NATB is a nonprofit organization that helps to protect consumers in the secondary ticket-buying market. You can find a list of NATB members online.
Know the guarantee and return policies
Make sure a vendor has polices in place that guarantee a refund if an event is canceled, if you receive invalid or wrong tickets or if you don’t get them at all. For example, members of the NATB must guarantee every ticket sold and provide a 200 percent money-back refund if tickets are not delivered, unless nondelivery is due to causes beyond the seller’s reasonable control. Be aware that Craigslist and other websites with classified ads do not offer guarantees or have a return policy in place. You could get taken.
Know the numbers
Legitimate online ticket sellers often charge additional fees. Although it would be nice if they were disclosed upfront, they may not be revealed until it is time for final payment. Be prepared to pay additional fees when you are purchasing tickets, and if you are buying online, keep tabs on your subtotal. Read the fine print and look for information about additional charges before you agree to any purchases.
Use a credit card
Use a credit card to purchase tickets so that, if there’s a problem, you have the right to dispute charges and temporarily withhold payment while your dispute is investigated.
If you are buying your tickets online, be sure the URL of the purchase page you are buying tickets on begins with https://, indicating the site is encrypted to protect your credit card information.
Never wire money or pay cash
If something goes wrong with the transaction and you have wired money or paid cash to purchase tickets, you will likely have no way to get your money back.
Check out the seats
Ask for a section, row, and seat number before you purchase a ticket to make sure the seats exist. Search for the venue’s seating chart online to verify the information you are given.
Tips from Fight Back!
Beware of ticket scams. The signs of a ticket scam include:
- A deal that seems too good to be true – for example, a ticket that is being offered at a price that is significantly lower than market value.
- A ticket being sold in advance of when tickets officially go on sale (although some credit cards offer presales to select cardholders).
- A seller asking for payment in cash, with a prepaid card via wire transfer.
- A seller with a dramatic story about why the tickets are for sale that involves a family emergency or other life crisis.
- A ticket being sold on a street corner or outside a venue.
If you think you have been the victim of a ticket scam, report it to:
- Your state attorney general. Visit the National Association of Attorney Generals website at naag.org, and click on “Attorneys General” for names and contact information.
- The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, at ftc.gov.
- If you have a complaint about an NATB member and you are not able to resolve it directly with the broker, visit natb.org/complaints.